This invention relates to a system, method, and apparatus for high-purity cleaning of manufacturing components, and particularly to such a system, method, and apparatus which enable components to be cleaned, dried, and packaged in a clean environment.
Certain industries, such as manufacturers of silicon chips or other semi-conductors, require that manufacturing and storage components be extremely clean, substantially free of contaminant films and micron and sub-micron particle contamination One method of high-purity cleaning is to wash the items to be cleaned with a high-pressure (2000-2400 psi) spray of solvent as described in Capella et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,269. However, the process and apparatus disclosed in Capella are designed specifically for the removal of radioactive particles and contaminants and are not particularly suited to clean an item for future use so that the item becomes and remains substantially free of all contaminants and particles, not merely free of radioactive contaminants and particles.
For example, the method of Capella employs a cleaning chamber having sub-atmospheric pressure so that radioactive particles do not "blow" out of the chamber. This creates the possibility that non-radioactive particles proximate the cleaning chamber will be drawn into the chamber, especially when the chamber is opened to remove a component from the chamber. Since Capella is concerned primarily with radioactive particles, Capella's system filters particles out of the solvent and then reuses the filtered solvent, which could contain dissolved contaminants
The solvents typically used in systems of the type described above are from the chlorofluorocarbon group (CFC) such as freon, and are now considered undesirable because it is thought that such gases deplete the ozone layer. Accordingly, it would be preferable to use a solvent which does not have negative health or enviromental considerations. A solvent which could be safely vented directly to the atmosphere without the need for a solvent recovery system would also be highly desirable.